Improvement in electric signals for railroads



THOMAS HALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAM DILLON, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC SIGNALS FOR RAILROADS.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 89,308, dated April 27, 1869.

A part of this specification.

Sheet A is a side view, and Sheet B a front view, of the instrument.

The mode of signalizing herein described is intended for use in connection with drawbridges and the switches or points of railways, or to indicate Jthe position ofgates, doors, or other movable objects.

I am aware that various kinds of mechanism have been used for this purpose, and what I claim as new and of my own invention is the construction of the apparatus by 'which the slight ,motion of the armature of an electromagnet placed at a distance from the switch or draw-bridge is niade to move the signal several feet, so that it may be visible to the engine-driver of an approaching train.

The same letters ot' reference are used in both of the drawings.

The fixtures and movable parts are mounted upon the upright board or back A, the electro magnet D being attached to it bythe stand or bracket Y. The free ends or poles ofthe elect-romagnet point upward, and just above them is the iron armature C, which is fastened to the short arm of the horizontal lever F G. This lever has its fulcrum at W, supported by the bracket E E' screwed to the back-board A.

From the Ijoint ,I at the outer end of the which forms a bearing for the center of the vertical signal-arm R.v This arm has at its upper end a counterpoise, Q, and at the lower end a signal-board, S. This should have a surface sufficiently large to be readily seen from a moving train, and in order that it may be light and readily moved it may be made in the form of a frame, having within it glass or other transparent material through which light may be transmitted.

One end of the spiral spring U is fastened to the top of the back-board andthe other to the lever K, to prevent the signal-arm R S from falling too rapidly from a horizontal position. v

The elevation of the signal S is effected as follows When the electro-magnet D is charged by the passage of a current through the wires B B the armature C is attracted and moves downward, the lever G rises, the arm H is thrust upward and raises the lever K. This pulls on the chain M and turns the pulley N,

the shaft 0,' and its attached arm P It, raising the signal. S from a vertical to a horizontal position.

The apparatus above described is to be inclosed in asuitable box orease, and, when used to indicate the position of the switch of a railway, is placed near the track at'any required distance from the switch.

The wires B B lead from the magnet D to the switch, the ordinary movement of which, either to the right orto the left, makes or breaks the current of electricity, and raises or lowers the signal S. The counterpoise Q is adjustable, and balances nearly the whole weight ofthe signal S.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, islong arm G a rod', H, extends upward, and is lIhe mechanism for the elevation of the sighal, consisting of the armature-lever, the rod H. the lever K, and the -chain and pulley, or their equivalents, connected with the counterbalanced signal-arm, substantially as described.

THOMAS HALL. [L. s]

Witnesses: JOHN F. FRENorr, JOHN M. BATGHELDER. 

